North Korea shreds Apple's iPad trademark with state-sponsored copycat

[Cal Jeffrey]

North Korea apparently loves Apple products because they have copied the California-based mobile magnate once again. According to Business Insider, the state-controlled tech industry of the country has previously produced iMac and iPhone knock-offs. Also, the state’s official operating system, Red Star OS, is a version of Linux that looks a lot like macOS. It had originally copied the Windows 7 UI but gave it a Mac-like look a few years ago.

While imitation may be akin to flattery, the regime’s latest knock-off is blatant trademark infringement. Myohyang IT has just unveiled its newest tablet called the "iPad."

Well, officially it is the Ryonghung iPad, but still, “I” + “Pad” = Apple trademark. While it may share the name, the tablet is anything but an ineffectual attempt to mimic Apple’s brand and the specs prove it.

Here are the tablet's specifications compared to the latest version of the Apple iPad in parenthesis:

• 1 GHz CPU (1.8 GHz)
• 512 MB RAM (2 GB)
• 8 GB internal memory (32/64 GB)
• 16 GB external memory (N/A; actually, up to whatever capacity you can AirDrop to)
• 8-inch display; resolution unknown (9.7-inch, 2048x1536)

The only category that the Ryonghung iPad beats its namesake is in weight. At 250 grams, the Korean copycat weighs about half that of a real thing (478g). Ironically, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un praised his country's IT manufacturers for their "creative ingenuity" when they duplicated an iPhone in 2014.

So far, Apple has not commented on this glaring infringement. Being that trade embargoes cut North Korea off from the rest of the world, it is not likely that the device will even escape the country. Other than as a novelty, it does not seem to pose any threat to Apple. So legal actions, if even possible or enforceable over there, are probably not worth the effort.

Ryonghung iPad image by NK News

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https://www.techspot.com/news/69525-north-korea-shreds-apple-ipad-trademark-state-sponsored.html

 

[avioza]

Well, those specs are good enough to cram in a bit more propaganda.

 

[amstech]

 

[Evernessince]

It took them this long just to copy the design....

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un praised his country's IT manufacturers for their "creative ingenuity" .
Then he probably had their chiefs promptly shot because they laughed at his bad haircut.

 

[J spot]

Makes you wonder, if Apple had the means to create an Army to enforce its trademark, how many Apple fan boys would volunteer to fight North Korea.

Of course, they would lose a lot of customers, with war being brutal, so it's not worth it.

But makes you wonder non the less, what it would be like in a universe where Apple decided to create an army. How many would be willing to put their lives on the line for Apple.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Such amazing technology, so they can watch their supply of food dwindle to nothing.

How can anybody in a country like NK afford a ipad clone?

 

[Uncle Al]

Now the interesting thing is, will "the great one" allow them to surf outside of their country and risk being influenced by all these Yankee Dogs! Can't wait for them to discover Itchy & Skratchy!!!!! Or, Mr. Ed the talking horse ..... oh yeah, love all that advanced culture!

 

[trgz]

Kind of ironic, seeing how mindlessly devoted many Apple fans are, that NK should roll out a similar product to the blinkered (through no fault of their own) populace.

 

[Raoul Duke]

Now the interesting thing is, will "the great one" allow them to surf outside of their country and risk being influenced by all these Yankee Dogs! Can't wait for them to discover Itchy & Skratchy!!!!! Or, Mr. Ed the talking horse ..... oh yeah, love all that advanced culture!

not a chance, they will instead get to enjoy all 28 webpages the government controlled internet of North Korea runs (2016 - CNBC, The Telegraph). A report by CNN also states that "Many citizens of North Korea may be oblivious to the existence of the internet."